This invention relates to a device for fixing and maintaining a shapeable glass plate in position during its machining, the plate being placed on a support surface and preferably maintained spaced therefrom to allow a conventional operating tool to move and operate thereon, for example during a chamfering process.
During the machining of a glass plate, for example during the chamfering of such a plate, it is necessary to maintain the plate fixed to the support surface to allow the machining to be carried out uniformly along the entire perimetral edge of the glass.
It is known to use sucker devices to fix the plate to the support surface. These devices generally comprise a plurality of suckers connected together in series or parallel by hoses. The plate is fixed to the support surface by drawing air from the suckers through these hoses, as required.
This method has however various drawbacks. In particular, if the shape of the plate to be machined is very complex and non-geometrical, a very large number of suckers have to be used to achieve this fixing to the support surface. This means that the feed circuits become very complicated, with a large number of connection hoses between the suckers, these hoses often hindering the movement of the operating tool which machines the plate. Because of the large number of suckers their installation between the plate and support surface requires a considerable time, hence negatively affecting the cost of the process to which the glass plate is subjected.
However, if the shape of the plate is particularly complex and far removed from usual geometrical shapes, the known devices are unable to adequately retain the plate at its edges, i.e., they are unable to faithfully follow its contour. The result is imperfect machining of the glass, for example with regard to the inclination of the chamfer and to the chamfering path.